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Gary P. Freeman, Chair BAT 2.116, Mailcode A1800, Austin, TX 78712 • 512-471-5121

Peter Trubowitz

Professor Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Peter Trubowitz

Contact

Biography

Peter Trubowitz is Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin.  He specializes in international relations and US foreign policy.  His current research focuses on American grand strategy and Sino-American relations.  Dr. Trubowitz has held research and teaching positions at Harvard, Princeton, MIT, the University of California at San Diego, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Universidad de Chile, and the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) in Mexico City.  

The author of Politics and Strategy (Princeton University Press, 2011) and Defining the National Interest (Chicago University Press, 1998), Dr. Trubowitz’s work has appeared in journals such as Foreign Affairs, International Security, and International Studies Quarterly, as well as more popular venues like the International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and Christian Science Monitor. His book, Defining the National Interest, was awarded the J. David Greenstone Book Prize from the Politics and History section of the American Political Science Association.  Dr. Trubowitz recently served on the American Political Science Association’s Task Force on US standing in the World: Causes, Consequences, and the Future.

Dr. Trubowitz has received grants and fellowships from various foundations including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur and the Social Science Research Council.  In 2002-03, he was J. William Fulbright Distinguished Lecturer in American Foreign Policy at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) in Beijing, China.  He is also a recipient of the President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award. 

Dr. Trubowitz received his B.A. from Clark University and his Ph.D. from MIT.

 

Interests

International politics and U.S. foreign policy

GOV 360N • America As A Global Power

39235 • Fall 2013
Meets TTH 200pm-330pm GAR 0.102
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Prerequisites  

Six hours of lower-division Government      

 

Course Description  

This class examines the evolution of American statecraft since World War II, with special emphasis on the president’s role in defining the nation’s interests.  Drawing on historical and contemporary cases, we will consider how international power and domestic politics shape the president’s geopolitical priorities and how those priorities have changed over time.  The course is designed to increase your knowledge of how US foreign policy is made and why America’s leaders pursue the grand strategies they do.      

 

Grading Policy  

Grades based on three in-class exams.      

 

 

Texts  

John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment (Oxford 2005)

David Sanger, Confront and Conceal (Simon and Schuster, 2012)

Peter Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy (Princeton 2011)

GOV 388K • Study Of Internatl Relations

39400 • Fall 2013
Meets W 330pm-630pm BAT 5.102
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Course Description

This course surveys important theoretical perspectives and debates in the field of international politics. We will cover works that span major research traditions (Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism) and that are pitched at different levels of analysis – from the international system to domestic politics to individual leaders. The course is designed to provide an introduction to mainstream approaches international relations and to encourage critical and constructive thinking about world politics.  

 

 

Grading Policy

Grades are based on class participation, weekly posts on Blackboard, review article or seminar paper, and a final exam  

 

Texts

Martha Finnemore, National Interests in International Society (Cornell, 1996)

Charles Glaser, Rational Theory of International Politics (Princeton, 2010)

G. John Ikenberry, After Victory (Princeton 2000)

Jack Snyder, Myths of Empire (Cornell 1991)

John Mearsheimer, Tragedy of Great Power Politics (Knopf 2001)

 

GOV 360N • America As A Global Power

38905 • Spring 2013
Meets TTH 330pm-500pm MEZ B0.306
show description

Prerequisites

Six hours of lower-division Government  

Course Description

This class examines the evolution of American statecraft since World War II, with special emphasis on the president’s role in defining the nation’s interests.  Drawing on historical and contemporary cases, we will consider how international power and domestic politics shape the president’s geopolitical priorities and how those priorities have changed over time.  The course is designed to increase your knowledge of how US foreign policy is made and why America’s leaders pursue the grand strategies they do.  

Grading Policy

Grades based on three in-class exams and one take-home writing assignment.  

Texts

John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment Peter Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy David Sanger, Confront and Conceal 

GOV 360N • America As A Global Power

38760 • Fall 2012
Meets TTH 330pm-500pm GAR 0.102
show description

Prerequisites

Six hours of lower-division Government

Couse Description

This class examines the evolution of American statecraft since World War II, with special emphasis on the president’s role in defining the nation’s interests.  Drawing on historical and contemporary cases, we will consider how international power and domestic politics shape the president’s geopolitical priorities and how those priorities have changed over time.  The course is designed to increase your knowledge of how US foreign policy is made and why America’s leaders pursue the grand strategies they do.

Grading Policy

Grades based on three in-class exams and one take-home writing assignment.

Texts

John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment (Oxford 2005)Peter Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy (Princeton 2011)Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton 2011)

GOV 379S • Us Foreign Policy: Past & Pres

38880 • Fall 2012
Meets W 330pm-630pm PAR 310
(also listed as LAH 350 )
show description

This course examines the sources and consequences of U.S. foreign

policy. Discussion and readings focus on historical and contemporary

cases, organized by presidency.  The course aims to help students

think systematically and critically about how U.S. foreign policy is

made and its effects, at home as well as abroad.

 

Texts

Fredrik Logevall and Campbell Craig, America's Cold War (Harvard 2009)

Leslie Gelb, The Irony of Vietnam: The System Worked (Brookings 1979)

Robert F. Kennedy, Thirteen Days, (Norton 1979)

Ron Suskind, The One Percent Doctrine (Simon and Schuster 2006)

 

GOV 360N • America As A Global Power

38760 • Spring 2012
Meets TTH 330pm-500pm FAC 21
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Description:

This course examines the sources, evolution, and consequences of American foreign policy since World War II. It considers both the international and domestic roots of foreign policy change and emphasizes the role that presidents play in defining the nation’s interests. The course is designed to help students think systematically and critically about foreign policy and the forces that shape it.

Grades:

Three in-class exams

Texts:

John Lamberton Harper, The Cold War (Oxford, 2011); Peter Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy (Princeton, 2011); and Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton, 2011)

GOV 360N • Us-China Relations-Chi

38770 • Spring 2012
Meets
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Description:

Taught in June at Tsinghua University in Beijing, this course examines the evolution of Sino-American relations from the end of World War II to the present. The course includes guest lectures by leading Chinese scholars on China’s politics, economic trajectory, and foreign policy, as well as field trips in and around Beijing and a three-day study trip to Shanghai.

Grading:

Grades are based on class participation and short essays

Texts:

Mark Leonard, What Does China Think (Public Affairs 2008); James Mann, The China Fantasy (Viking 2007); Susan Shirk, The Fragile Superpower (Oxford 2007)

GOV 388K • Study Of Internatl Relations

38960 • Spring 2012
Meets W 330pm-630pm MEZ 1.104
show description

Description:

This course surveys important issues and debates in the field of international relations. We will cover works that span different theoretical traditions (e.g., Realism, Liberalism) and that are pitched at different levels of analysis – from the international system to domestic politics to individual leaders. The course is designed to provide an introduction to mainstream theories of international relations and to encourage critical and constructive thinking about world politics.

Grading:

Grades are based on class participation, review article or seminar paper, and a final exam

Texts:

Martha Finnemore, National Interests in International Society (Cornell, 1996)

Charles Glaser, Rational Theory of International Politics (Princeton, 2010)

Peter Gourevitch, Politics in Hard Times (Cornell 1986)

G. John Ikenberry, After Victory (Princeton 2000)

Jack Snyder, Myths of Empire (Cornell 1991)

Kenneth Waltz, Theory of International Politics (Random House, 1979)

GOV 312L • Issues & Policies In Amer Gov

38605 • Fall 2011
Meets MWF 1000am-1100am MEZ 1.306
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Description: How do presidents choose their foreign policies?  What  role do domestic political considerations play in their decisions and  how do they reconcile them with geopolitical imperatives?  This class  probes these and related questions by examining the foreign policy  behavior of  presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama.

 

Grading: Students are required to submit two take short take home  essays and take two in-class exams.

 

Texts: John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment (Oxford, 2005);  Peter Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy (Princeton, 2011); Fareed  Zakaria, The Post-American World (Norton, 2009)

GOV 379S • Us Foreign Policy: Past & Pres

38895 • Fall 2011
Meets W 330pm-630pm CBA 4.340
(also listed as LAH 350 )
show description

Description: This course examines the sources, evolution, and  consequences of American foreign policy.  It considers both the  international and domestic roots of the nation's foreign policy.  The  course is designed to help you think systematically and critically  about how U.S. foreign policy is made and its effects, at home as well  as abroad.

 

Grading: Grades will be based on 3 take home essays, group  presentations, weekly postings on Blackboard, and seminar participation.

 

Texts:  Leslie Gelb, The Irony of Vietnam: The System Worked  (Brookings 1979); Robert F. Kennedy, Thirteen Days, (Norton 1979); Ron  Suskind, The One Percent Doctrine (Simon and Schuster 2006); and Peter  Trubowitz, Politics and Strategy (Princeton, 2011).

GOV 379S • Us Foreign Policy: Past & Pres

39120 • Spring 2011
Meets W 330pm-630pm MEZ 1.104
(also listed as LAH 350 )
show description

This course examines the sources and consequences of U.S. foreign policy. Discussion and readings focus on historical and contemporary cases, organized by presidency.  The course aims to help students think systematically and critically about how U.S. foreign policy is made and its effects, at home as well as abroad.

GOV 388K • Study Of Internatl Relations

39185 • Spring 2011
Meets TH 330pm-630pm BAT 1.104
show description

See syllabus

GOV 360N • America As A Global Power

38590 • Fall 2010
Meets MW 330pm-500pm MEZ B0.306
show description

Course Description: This class examines the evolution of American grand strategy since World War II, with special emphasis on the president’s role in defining the nation’s interests.  Drawing on historical and contemporary cases, we will consider how international circumstances and domestic politics shape the president’s geopolitical priorities and how those priorities have changed over time.  The course is designed to increase your knowledge of how US foreign policy is made and why America’s leaders pursue the grand strategies they do.

Grading Policy:
Three in-class exams
Take home essay

Textbooks:
John Lewis Gaddis, Strategies of Containment, revised edition (Oxford 2005)
James Mann, Rise of the Vulcans (Penguin 2004)

GOV 388L • American Foreign Policy

38840 • Fall 2010
Meets TH 330pm-630pm BAT 1.104
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Course Description:
This seminar focuses on competing approaches to the study of foreign policy, with a special emphasis on he United States.  Drawing on historical and contemporary cases of US statecraft, we will consider how international and domestic politics have shaped America’s geopolitical priorities.  In this connection, we will assess the relevance of the American experience for theorizing about foreign policy making generally and the implications of alternative theories for thinking critically about foreign policy issues facing the United States today.

Grading Policy:
Seminar/research paper
Class presentations


Textbooks: (Tentative list)

Stephen Brook and William Wohlforth, World Out of Balance (Princeton 2008)

Thomas Christensen, Useful Adversaries (Princeton 1996)

Colin Dueck, Reluctant Crusaders (Princeton 2006)

William Howell and Jon Pevehouse, While Dangers Gather (Princeton 2007)

Stephen Krasner, Defending the National Interest (Princeton 1978)

John Ikenberry, After Victory (Princeton 2001)

Kevin Narizny, The Political Economy of Grand Strategy (Cornell 2007)

Fareed Zakeria, From Wealth to Power (Princeton 1998)

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